Transcriptomic Analysis of ArlRS Two‐Component Signaling Regulon, a Global Regulator, in Staphylococcus aureus

Author(s):  
Yinduo Ji ◽  
Chuanxin Yu ◽  
Xudong Liang
Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 821
Author(s):  
Maite Villanueva ◽  
Melanie Roch ◽  
Iñigo Lasa ◽  
Adriana Renzoni ◽  
William L. Kelley

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections are a global health problem. New control strategies, including fifth-generation cephalosporins such as ceftaroline, have been developed, however rare sporadic resistance has been reported. Our study aimed to determine whether disruption of two-component environmental signal systems detectably led to enhanced susceptibility to ceftaroline in S. aureus CA-MRSA strain MW2 at sub-MIC concentrations where cells normally continue to grow. A collection of sequential mutants in all fifteen S. aureus non-essential two-component systems (TCS) was first screened for ceftaroline sub-MIC susceptibility, using the spot population analysis profile method. We discovered a role for both ArlRS and VraSR TCS as determinants responsible for MW2 survival in the presence of sub-MIC ceftaroline. Subsequent analysis showed that dual disruption of both arlRS and vraSR resulted in a very strong ceftaroline hypersensitivity phenotype. Genetic complementation analysis confirmed these results and further revealed that arlRS and vraSR likely regulate some common pathway(s) yet to be determined. Our study shows that S. aureus uses particular TCS environmental sensing systems for this type of defense and illustrates the proof of principle that if these TCS were inhibited, the efficacy of certain antibiotics might be considerably enhanced.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanaz Dehbashi ◽  
Hamed Tahmasebi ◽  
Behrouz Zeyni ◽  
Mohammad Reza Arabestani

Abstract Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-bloodstream infections (BSI) are predominantly seen in the hospital or healthcare-associated host. Nevertheless, the interactions of virulence factor (VFs) regulators and β-lactam resistance in MRSA-BSI are unclear. This study aims to characterize the molecular relationship of two-component systems of VFs and the expression of the β-lactamase gene in MRSA-BSI isolates. In this study, 639 samples were collected from BSI and identified by phenotypic methods. We performed extensive molecular characterization, including SCCmec type, agr type, VFs gene profiles determinations, and MLST on isolates. Also, a quantitative real-time PCR (q-RT PCR) assay was developed for identifying the gene expressions. Results Ninety-one (91) S. aureus and 61 MRSA (67.0%) strains were detected in BSI samples. The presence of VFs and SCCmec genes in MRSA isolates were as follows: tst (31.4%), etA (18.0%), etB (8.19%), lukS-PVL (31.4%), lukF-PV (18.0%), lukE-lukD (16.3%), edin (3.2%), hla (16.3%), hlb (18.0%), hld (14.7%), hlg (22.9%), SCCmecI (16.3%), SCCmecII (22.9%), SCCmecIII (36.0%), SCCmecIV (21.3%), and SCCmecV (16.3%). Quantitative real-time PCR showed overexpression of mecRI and mecI in the toxigenic isolates. Moreover, RNAIII and sarA genes were the highest expressions of MRSA strains. The multi-locus sequence typing data confirmed a high prevalence of CC5, CC8, and CC30. However, ST30, ST22, and ST5 were the most prevalent in the resistant and toxigenic strains. Conclusion We demonstrated that although regulation of β-lactamase gene expressions is a significant contributor to resistance development, two-component systems also influence antibiotic resistance development in MRSA-BSI isolates. This indicates that resistant strains might have pathogenic potential. We also confirmed that some MLST types are more successful colonizers with a potential for MRSA-BSI.


2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (10) ◽  
pp. 2525-2534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Que Chi Truong-Bolduc ◽  
David C. Hooper

ABSTRACT MgrA is a global regulator in Staphylococcus aureus that controls the expression of diverse genes encoding virulence factors and multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux transporters. We identified pknB, which encodes the (Ser/Thr) kinase PknB, in the S. aureus genome. PknB was able to autophosphorylate as well as phosphorylate purified MgrA. We demonstrated that rsbU, which encodes a Ser/Thr phosphatase and is involved in the activation of the SigB regulon, was able to dephosphorylate MgrA-P but not PknB-P. Serines 110 and 113 of MgrA were found to be phosphorylated, and Ala substitutions at these positions resulted in reductions in the level of phosphorylation of MgrA. DNA gel shift binding assays using norA and norB promoters showed that MgrA-P was able to bind the norB promoter but not the norA promoter, a pattern which was the reverse of that for unphosphorylated MgrA. The double mutant MgrAS110A-S113A bound to the norA promoter but not the norB promoter. The double mutant led to a 2-fold decrease in norA transcripts and a 2-fold decrease in the MICs of norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin in strain RN6390. Thus, phosphorylation of MgrA results in loss of binding to the norA promoter, but with a gain of the ability to bind the norB promoter. Loss of the ability to phosphorylate MgrA by Ala substitution resulted in increased repression of norA expression and in reductions in susceptibilities to NorA substrates.


2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin D. Mlynek ◽  
William E. Sause ◽  
Derek E. Moormeier ◽  
Marat R. Sadykov ◽  
Kurt R. Hill ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureussubverts innate defenses during infection in part by killing host immune cells to exacerbate disease. This human pathogen intercepts host cues and activates a transcriptional response via theS. aureusexoprotein expression (SaeR/SaeS [SaeR/S]) two-component system to secrete virulence factors critical for pathogenesis. We recently showed that the transcriptional repressor CodY adjusts nuclease (nuc) gene expression via SaeR/S, but the mechanism remained unknown. Here, we identified two CodY binding motifs upstream of thesaeP1 promoter, which suggested direct regulation by this global regulator. We show that CodY shares a binding site with the positive activator SaeR and that alleviating direct CodY repression at this site is sufficient to abrogate stochastic expression, suggesting that CodY repressessaeexpression by blocking SaeR binding. Epistasis experiments support a model that CodY also controlssaeindirectly through Agr and Rot-mediated repression of thesaeP1 promoter. We also demonstrate that CodY repression ofsaerestrains production of secreted cytotoxins that kill human neutrophils. We conclude that CodY plays a previously unrecognized role in controlling virulence gene expression via SaeR/S and suggest a mechanism by which CodY acts as a master regulator of pathogenesis by tying nutrient availability to virulence gene expression.IMPORTANCEBacterial mechanisms that mediate the switch from a commensal to pathogenic lifestyle are among the biggest unanswered questions in infectious disease research. Since the expression of most virulence genes is often correlated with nutrient depletion, this implies that virulence is a response to the lack of nourishment in host tissues and that pathogens likeS. aureusproduce virulence factors in order to gain access to nutrients in the host. Here, we show that specific nutrient depletion signals appear to be funneled to the SaeR/S system through the global regulator CodY. Our findings reveal a strategy by whichS. aureusdelays the production of immune evasion and immune-cell-killing proteins until key nutrients are depleted.


2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 2154-2167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Xue ◽  
Yibo You ◽  
De Hong ◽  
Haipeng Sun ◽  
Baolin Sun

ABSTRACTThe Kdp system is widely distributed among bacteria. InEscherichia coli, the Kdp-ATPase is a high-affinity K+uptake system and its expression is activated by the KdpDE two-component system in response to K+limitation or salt stress. However, information about the role of this system in many bacteria still remains obscure. Here we demonstrate that KdpFABC inStaphylococcus aureusis not a major K+transporter and that the main function of KdpDE is not associated with K+transport but that instead it regulates transcription for a series of virulence factors through sensing external K+concentrations, indicating that this bacterium might modulate its infectious status through sensing specific external K+stimuli in different environments. Our results further reveal thatS. aureusKdpDE is upregulated by the Agr/RNAIII system, which suggests that KdpDE may be an important virulence regulator coordinating the external K+sensing and Agr signaling during pathogenesis in this bacterium.


F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Patel ◽  
Dasantila Golemi-Kotra

The two-component system LytSR has been linked to the signal transduction of cell membrane electrical potential perturbation and is involved in the adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus to cationic antimicrobial peptides. It consists of a membrane-bound histidine kinase, LytS, which belongs to the family of multiple transmembrane-spanning domains receptors, and a response regulator, LytR, which belongs to the novel family of non-helix-turn-helix DNA-binding domain proteins. LytR regulates the expression of cidABC and lrgAB operons, the gene products of which are involved in programmed cell death and lysis. In vivo studies have demonstrated involvement of two overlapping regulatory networks in regulating the lrgAB operon, both depending on LytR. One regulatory network responds to glucose metabolism and the other responds to changes in the cell membrane potential. Herein, we show that LytS has autokinase activity and can catalyze a fast phosphotransfer reaction, with 50% of its phosphoryl group lost within 1 minute of incubation with LytR. LytS has also phosphatase activity. Notably, LytR undergoes phosphorylation by acetyl phosphate at a rate that is 2-fold faster than the phosphorylation by LytS. This observation is significant in lieu of the in vivo observations that regulation of the lrgAB operon is LytR-dependent in the presence of excess glucose in the medium. The latter condition does not lead to perturbation of the cell membrane potential but rather to the accumulation of acetate in the cell. Our study provides insights into the molecular basis for regulation of lrgAB in a LytR-dependent manner under conditions that do not involve sensing by LytS.


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